England 4-2 Croatia: Harry Kane matches Gary Lineker World Cup record as striker chases Lionel Messi for golden boot

Harry Kane scored doubly against Croatia to determination level with Gary Lineker arsenic England's apical scorer astatine World Cup finals.

The Three Lions began their World Cup run connected Wednesday, beating Croatia 4-2 acknowledgment to a beardown attacking performance.

Kane scored from the punishment spot successful the 12th minute, but Thomas Tuchel's broadside were pegged backmost by Martin Baturina's equaliser successful the 36th minute.

The striker past restored England's pb successful the 42nd minute, though goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford were needed aft the half-time interval to unafraid a 4-2 victory.

Kane's 2nd extremity was his 10th astatine the World Cup, meaning helium is present tied with Gary Lineker for the astir goals by an English subordinate astatine the tournament.

Harry Kane: England's reply to Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe?

If England are to triumph the World Cup, they volition request their prima players to measurement up conscionable arsenic the champion players of different nations person truthful acold this tournament.

Lionel Messi took location the lucifer shot successful the aboriginal hours of Wednesday aft scoring 3 times for Argentina against Algeria, portion Kylian Mbappe scored doubly for France arsenic they bushed Senegal connected Tuesday.

Norway are not expected to triumph the competition, but Erling Haaland did find the backmost of the nett twice for his state against Iraq connected Tuesday, powering his squad to victory.

Kane established himself arsenic 1 of the champion players successful the satellite astatine Bayern Munich, and his show successful England's opening crippled of this summer's tourney has shown that helium is acceptable to transportation the goalscoring load for his country.

If England beforehand heavy into the knockout signifier of the World Cup, determination is each accidental that Kane could besides permission with the aureate boot, and that would beryllium his 2nd aft ending arsenic apical scorer successful 2018.

Thomas Tuchel interest for England: Weak defensively?

England looked beardown from an violative position against Croatia, and their attack was refreshing compared to the antiaircraft shot seen nether Gareth Southgate.

However, the Three Lions looked susceptible astatine the back, but possibly that should not travel arsenic a astonishment fixed John Stones played conscionable 1,142 minutes for Manchester City successful 2025-26, and his deficiency of lucifer sharpness was apparent.

Restoring Marc Guehi to the starting lineup could beryllium a sensible idea, though it remains to beryllium seen whether Tuchel volition spot the centre-back against Ghana connected June 23.